Picaroon
by Evelos
Summary: Fugitives, dancing around the law with only a smile to offer in repentance. A prize, lost within the depths of the void. With a bounty on their heads, they'll face danger at every turn, but the reward is well worth the risk. AU.
1. Chapter 1

A layer of clouds, churning in the sky. A mechanical sound warbled in the distance, and distant lights appeared within the clouds, parting to reveal a sleek, beautiful airship.

The craft hummed, hovering through the blanket of fog. A woman squinted, standing at the bow, the wind whipping through her hair. A smile played across her face as a tiny, twinkling light came into view, bright enough to cut through the mist.

A robotic voice rang out from an intercom within the railing. "Ms. Yun, we are approaching sector... Registering... Island of Bodhum. I've requested permission to dock."

Ms. Yun, more widely known as Fang, smirked at the voice. "Thank you Bhakti, but that won't be necessary."

"Clarification?"

Fang watched as hints of the city flickered beneath the light. "Bodhum's free reign; there isn't even a station to ask."

Bhakti's voice whirred, and clicked twice. "Acknowledged. Request retracted."

Fang inhaled. "Bring us in."

The mist swirled around the ship, giant turbines slicing through the air. Fang could see the city clearly now, a solitary island hovering at an angle in the sky. Fang's nose twitched at the scent of smoke; the outskirts of Bodhum were lined with docking terminals, markets, and industrial plants.

Bhakti's voice rang out again, a slight layer of static in his speech. "Preparing to dock; please secure yourself, Ms. Yun."

Fang rolled her eyes, but grabbed hold of the railing. The ship shuddered, the turbines slowing to a soft hum. Robotic limbs emerged from the hull, reaching for an available socket, before latching into place.

Fang stood straight as the ship came to a stop. "Thank you, Bhakti. If Vanille asks, I probably won't be back 'till morning."

Bhakti whirred, and beeped once. "Have a pleasant day, Ms. Yun."

Fang stepped out onto the gangplank, strolling down the steps, and into the docks. She wove through the crowd, keeping her hands in her pockets. Market stalls lined the streets, but Fang ignored the clamoring merchants. All but one.

The woman waved at Fang, daisies braided in her hair. "Flowers, ma'am! Fresh from the garden, picked them just today!"

Fang strode over and browsed the stall; bouquets and baskets of flora filled to the brim. She pulled a rose from the display, before flipping a translucent chip at the woman, who smiled as she caught it.

"Good fortune to you, ma'am!" The woman turned back to the crowd. "Flowers, picked fresh today!"

Fang exited the docks, navigating the winding streets. It took her nearly an hour to reach her destination, a tiny shop perched along a cliff, the sky stretching out below the road in a dizzying drop.

Fang paused at the door, adjusting her jacket. She ran a hand through her hair, her braids surrounded by wild brown locks. Fang inhaled, and opened the door, the chime of bells signaling her arrival.

The store looked larger on the inside, built inside the cliff-face, stretching back into the rock. Fang smiled as she strolled between the displays, keeping her face hidden from the back of the store.

A pair of footsteps approached, and a cool voice broke the silence. "Let me know if you need help finding anything."

Fang peeked over as a solitary figure took a seat behind the register. Fang glanced back along the cabinets, a wide array of jewelry resting within the cases. Fang walked down the aisle, her eyes locked on the glass between her and the ornaments. Her gaze caught on a individual display, and Fang approached it, her eyes wide.

Fang looked down at the necklace; a silver chain, with a single droplet of green gemstone dangling from the center.

"That's not for sale." The voice held a certain steel, an authoritative tone.

Fang gave a quiet laugh. "Even if it's mine? Lost your edge, Farron?" She inhaled as a blade pressed against her throat.

Fang kept her gaze on the glass, the face of another woman reflected on it; cold blue eyes, a stoic expression adorned by soft pink hair.

The reflection shifted as her lips moved. "I could ask you the same."

Fang chuckled. "Been a while, eh?"

"Four years. _Four years,_ and _now_ you come back?"

Fang sucked in a breath, the knife nearly digging into her skin. "Not gonna make excuses, you deserve better..."

The blade eased, and Fang noticed the blue eyes soften by a tiny degree.

"The truth."

Fang gave a slight nod. "The truth." She exhaled. "A lot of searching; in more ways than one." Fang paused, and closed her eyes. "But I've been thinkin' about you every minute."

The knife lowered, and Fang opened her eyes to see a flush reflected on the glass.

"You could have contacted me."

Fang turned around, a soft smile on her lips. "We're still being tracked; didn't want to lead 'em here." She pulled the rose from her jacket, twirling it by the stem between her fingers. "Lightning." Fang caught her gaze. "I'd never just up and leave, not forever."

Fang grinned when the flower was accepted, held up to Lightning's nose.

Lightning's gaze flickered back at Fang, and she lowered her hand, the rose still held within. She glanced at the door. "Business is slow today."

Fang raised a single brow. "Thinkin' of closing up early?"

Lightning moved behind the register, placing the rose within a vase of wildflowers. She locked up the till, and offered no reaction when Fang leaned on the counter.

Lightning walked past, brushing against Fang before she moved to the door, fastening the lock. "Serah's out for a couple days."

Fang was silent, her eyes half-lidded. Lightning strode back, twirling a key in her fingers. Fang reached out, taking her gently by the wrist, closing the distance within seconds. Lightning mumbled against the kiss, her tongue swirling against Fang's.

Fang ran her hands up to Lightning's shoulders, moving down her back, scratching against the fabric as she pressed her fingers into the small of her back. Lightning gasped into Fang's mouth, the fingers inching lower.

Lightning gripped the collar of Fang's jacket, steering them further into the store, never breaking the embrace. Fang nibbled at Lightning's bottom lip, hooking her hands under Lightning's legs as she wrapped them around Fang's waist.

Lightning pulled back from the kiss, her breath ragged. "Bedroom; do you remember where-"

Fang caught her lips again, pulling Lightning even closer to her body. She walked up the stairs, struggling to keep her balance, her mind racing in a dizzying haze.

Fang kicked open the door, pressing Lightning against the bed, before breaking the kiss.

Lightning panted, and watched as Fang tugged off her own jacket, a simple black undershirt beneath. Lightning sat up, her hands running along Fang's shoulders, and she pressed a kiss against her neck. She tugged at the shirt, until Fang's chest lay bare beneath her.

Lightning moved her mouth along Fang's neck, layering kisses down to her shoulders, biting lightly around her collarbone. Fang closed her eyes, and leaned in to the touch. Lightning moved her tongue against the skin, lowering her mouth to Fang's breast.

Fang sucked in a breath, tangling her fingers in Lightning's hair.

Lightning ran her tongue in tight circles, and moved to caress the opposite breast with her hand. Fang squirmed beneath the touch, and she felt Lightning smirk against her skin.

With her other hand, Lightning traced along Fang's thigh, circling the skin around her stomach. She unbuckled Fang's belt, pulling her trousers away with her free hand. Lightning shifted, quickly reversing their position, and straddled Fang from above.

Fang grinned, and Lightning leaned forward to deliver a smoldering kiss. Fang's fingers threaded into the pink locks again, scratching lightly at Lightning's scalp.

Lightning pulled away from the kiss, and Fang struggled to catch her breath, nearly crying out when a warm sensation swirled against the join of her thighs, while she tightened her grasp in Lightning's hair.

Lightning moved her tongue against the bundle of nerves, inhaling the dizzying scent. She moved her hands along Fang's stomach, tracing intricate circles against her skin, lowering with each passing second.

Fang let out a ragged gasp, lifting her pelvis, pressing up against the beautiful touch. She closed her eyes, her breath quickening as Lightning's hands reached her midriff, moving down to accompany her tongue.

Lightning ran a finger against Fang, the skin coated in a heady sheen. She moved the digit further, pressing down, eliciting another gasp from above. Lightning hummed against the skin, twisting her finger just so, adding a second digit to the first.

Fang clutched at Lightning's hair, shivering against the touch, arcing her back. She panted, her vision clouded by a sweltering haze. She bucked against Lightning's mouth, her pupils dilated, her own mouth opening in a cry. She trembled, a warmth spreading within her body, overflowing every muscle in a tingling rhythm. Fang cried out, her body began to shake as her vision swam, clusters of light shattering as her body throbbed, convulsing as the heat overtook her. Fang came, trembling beneath the aftershocks.

Fang barely noticed when Lightning moved up to lay kisses across her chest, her entire body numb with bliss. She struggled to regain herself, her breath rapid and constant, shivering within her lungs.

Lightning leaned over, her lips brushing against Fang's ear. "You pull another disappearing act, and you _never_ get that again."

Fang nodded, her head quivering. She reached up to pull Lightning close, her breath still in tremors. Fang exhaled, and Lightning pressed another kiss against her lips.

Lightning pulled back after a moment, watching Fang attempt to retake some semblance of control.

Fang opened her eyes, and grinned up at her. Lightning raised an eyebrow, letting out a tiny noise as Fang flipped them over, pinning her to the bed. Fang caught Lightning by the lips, tangling their tongues in a swirling dance.

Lightning shivered as Fang unbuttoned her shirt, only breaking the kiss when the clasp on her belt wouldn't cooperate. Fang leaned back, tossing the blouse across the room, tugging Lightning's pants away. Fang moved forward, biting gently at Lightning's neck, running her tongue along the skin as her fingers traveled downward.

Lightning bucked against Fang's touch, a finger soon twisting inside of her. Fang chuckled under her breath, moving to nibble at Lightning's ear, adjusting her thumb to rub at a certain spot, just above her index finger.

Lightning whimpered, her hands grasping at Fang's back, her fingers clinging against the skin.

Fang pressed another digit inside, smirking when Lightning bit back a cry. Fang moved to lick Lightning's neck, grazing her teeth against the flushed skin, letting out a low growl.

Lightning trembled, biting her bottom lip, her eyes squeezed shut. Fang kissed at her chest, increasing the pace, exhaling as the heat against her fingers erupted.

Lightning cried out, clinging to Fang's back like a lifeline. She shuddered, quivering against Fang's body, her breath trembling.

Fang moved her hand to her face, licking the excess from her fingers. She lay down, and drew Lightning's body against hers.

Lightning tried to speak, her voice shaking.

"Shh.." Fang pulled Lightning's head against her chest, laying kisses against her hair.

Lightning whispered, her voice slightly muffled. "Stay." She wrapped her arms around Fang, fingers curling against her skin.

Fang nuzzled against her. "I'm not going anywhere." She paused, biting her bottom lip. Fang waited a moment, before murmuring against Lightning's hair. "But there _is_ still something I need to do."

Lightning pulled her head back, questions gathering in her eyes.

"Do you remember when I said I was searching for something?"

Lightning hissed under her breath, and gave a quick nod.

Fang grinned. "Want to know what I found?"

Lightning's eyes widened.


	2. Chapter 2

Lightning lowered an oblong stone against the grinder, her fingers carefully maneuvering the grip against the friction.

Fang leaned against the door frame, her eyes never leaving the workbench. More specifically, the woman operating the workbench.

Lightning pulled the stone back, examining it beneath a loupe.

Fang moved beside her, leaning to peek through the scope. "How's it going so far?"

Lightning sighed. "Extremely resilient, I'm barely scratching it with my current setup..." She flipped the stone over, and narrowed her eyes. "Where did you find it?"

Fang chuckled. "They could hold that information against you."

Lightning narrowed her eyes. "Enough coddling. You seem to have forgotten just _how_ I acquired all this." She gestured at the adjacent room, the storefront. "I can handle myself, Fang."

Fang raised an eyebrow. "If I remember right, it took both of us to_ acquire all this_." She leaned in, her lips brushing against Lightning's ear.

Lightning huffed. "And then you left, leaving me to take care of it."

Fang nipped at Lightning's earlobe. "But just look what I brought back..."

"An unrefined chunk, which we have no idea how to use-" Lightning held back a whimper as a set of teeth grazed against her throat.

"Have a little faith." Fang lay a kiss on the back of Lightning's neck, before drawing back. "Vanille picked up a guy on Palumpolum; young, but brilliant." She grinned. "He's been sending his own brand of signal into the void for the past two years."

Lightning froze. "You aren't suggesting..."

Fang caught Lightning's gaze, a wide smile spreading across her face. "It's not just a fairy tale, Light."

Lightning was silent for a moment, running the stone between her fingers. "We'll need to refine it, then."

Fang's face broke out in a smile, and she leaned over to hug Lightning. "One last haul... The biggest we've ever done."

Lightning snorted. "I get to come along, this time?"

Fang rolled her eyes. "Yes, you get to come along on the once in a lifetime experience, and not the four years of tedium." She was silent for a moment. "I can't even begin to count how many false leads we chased..."

Lightning pulled away, folding up the workbench. "Maybe it wouldn't have been so tedious if you'd brought me along."

Fang sighed. "I can't change the past, Light! C'mon..."

"I meant it though." Lightning held Fang's gaze, her eyes narrowed. "Never again. You keep me in the loop from now on."

Fang took her by the hand. "You've got my word."

Lightning rolled her eyes. "Tell me where you found it."

Fang exhaled, averting her gaze. "A certain... Exhibition..."

Lightning crossed her arms. "_Where_, Fang?"

Fang bit her lip, her eyes flicking to meet Lightning's. "Eden."

Lightning was still for a moment, before she stood, walking through an archway. Fang followed her in silence, careful to leave a good distance between them.

Lightning stopped beside a metal door, unbolting the hatch by entering a code. She stepped inside, and returned a moment later with a wooden box in her arms. Lightning carried the container back into the workroom, placing it on a table, and opening it with pry bar.

Lightning held up a polished object, pronged at one end, a worn handle beneath. "We'd best be prepared, then." She handed the object to Fang, along with a holster.

"Nearly forgot about these..." Fang examined the weapon, squinting at the focal point, a tiny gem encased by pointed metal.

Lightning raised an eyebrow. "Just don't blow your face off."

Fang smirked. "What a shame that would be..." She lowered the weapon, numerous memories of burnt fingers all flooding back at once.

Lightning clipped her own holster to her hip, latching it along her belt. She sheathed her weapon, and shoved the empty box beneath the table.

Fang followed suit, her weapon resting beneath her jacket, attached to her belt.

"Refinement..." Lightning paused, turning the stone over in her fingers. "But does it even _need_ to be refined?"

Fang shrugged.

Lightning shook her head. "We need to know more, then."

Fang leaned on the wall, deep in thought. "Am I still banned from the library?"

Lightning bit back a laugh. "Serah might reconsider if she knows what we're on to."

"I thought she was 'out' for a couple days?"

Lightning narrowed her eyes. "She is."

Fang paused for a moment. "She's still seeing... What's his name, again?"

Lightning grit her teeth. "Snow."

–

Serah looked up from the desk, her eyes narrowing. "Out."

Fang leaned against the counter, flashing Serah a grin. "C'mon, it's been years since..."

Serah closed her book, the sharp sound breaking the silence of the library. "I don't care if it's been _centuries_. We don't welcome book thieves."

"It wasn't..." Fang sighed, turning to Lightning for help, but she received none. Fang exhaled, her voice pleading. "It _wasn't_ stealing; I checked them out, but the damn hold burnt down!" Fang hissed under her breath. "Your books were hardly the most expensive cargo, I might add."

Serah glared at her. "Knowledge is priceless."

Lightning spoke up, a weary tone to her voice. "I'll pay for the damages, but I need to bring Fang with me today."

"After what she did?" Serah's mouth opened in shock, turning to scowl at Fang. "Lightning wasn't even _surprised_ when you ran off!" She hissed under her breath. "How you've managed to talk her back is beyond me..."

"Serah, Fang is on to something here." Lightning lowered her voice to a whisper. "If this pulls through, doubling this..." She gestured at the library itself. "Would be _pocket change_."

Serah's expression remained skeptical, but she sighed, waving them along.

Fang began to bow for Serah, but Lightning dragged her along by the arm. They wove through the shelves, aisle upon aisle of books towering above them. Lightning finally came to a halt before the history section, the area vacant before them.

"Alright..." Lightning leaned over to examine a low shelf, pulling out a well worn tome. "A History of Piracy Within the Ether, Third Edition."

Lightning sat down on the ground, opening the book. Fang sat beside her, and leaned back against the side of the bookshelf.

Lightning scanned the table of contents, before pointing at the page. "The Picaroon."

Fang grinned, retrieving the stone from her pocket.

Lightning cleared her throat, flipping to a section in the middle of the book. "The nameless thief, identified only by his infamous ship, the Picaroon. His many exploits caught the gaze of Lindzei, god of thieves..." Lightning paused, her brow creased. "I thought Lindzei was a goddess? Anyway, exploits, god of thieves... Lindzei granted him a boon: the guise of a great, serpentine wyrm."

Fang grinned, and tried to peek at Lightning's back. "Just like yours."

Lightning rolled her eyes. "Focus, Fang." She looked back at the page, and continued. "The nameless thief piloted the Picaroon against entire armies, felling all who stood in his path. His wealth grew to such an immense amount that he no longer had any true need for it." She turned a couple pages, skipping past an entire catalog of the Picaroon's bounty. "When his time had come, his last action was to take on the wyrm form, before he leapt into the sky. Lindzei turned his lifeless body into part of the void, and placed his ship within the darkness."

"See? The Picaroon's _inside_ the void." Fang kept her voice to a whisper, but her tone was giddy with excitement. "We just need to go in and find it. Is there anything about the stone?"

Lightning flipped back a page, before squinting at the text. "The nameless thief had an entire collection of Lindzei's eggs. These gemstones can be found in a variety of colors and textures, but rarely is an intact example found. Most specimens are merely fragments, but their value is not diminished by size." Lightning paused, taking the stone from Fang's hand, and running her thumb over the surface. She startled, nearly dropping the gem.

"What's wrong?" Fang leaned over to look at the stone, her brow creased.

"Could've sworn I felt..." Lightning's eyes widened. "Lindzei's _eggs_. What if it's literal?" She traced her thumb over the stone again, her pulse racing as she felt a tiny heartbeat below the surface.

Fang ran a finger over the gem, her mouth opening in a grin. "Do the snake thing."

Lightning scowled. "_Wyrm_. And really, in the middle of the _library_? Does Serah need another reason to kick us out?"

"Just a _tiny_ one." Fang tried to look at Lightning's shoulder blades again. "You might even have an effect on it, you never know..."

Lightning sighed, weighing her options. The book didn't say much else about the stones, and what harm could a little experiment cause? Lightning exhaled, and closed her eyes.

Fang felt a flutter in her stomach when Lightning's eyes shot open, her pupils narrowing into slits. Her body seemed to crumple, before dissolving into pure energy. A moment later, a tiny serpent materialized on the ground, coiling towards the stone. Fang smiled, and held out her hand, but the serpent hissed, snapping at her fingers. Fang chuckled, and snatched the stone away before the serpent could reach it.

"C'mon, Light." Fang held out her arm, and Lightning reluctantly slithered up Fang's hand, her length about the same as Fang's forearm. Her scales were white, banded by green and gold ridges running down her body. Golden horns lay above her eyes, sweeping up from her head in an ornate curve.

Fang held out the stone, and Lightning crossed over her arms to examine it. The glassy black material reflected her face, and Lightning flicked her tongue at the surface. She could barely make it out, but a tiny purple glow fluctuated within, a steady heartbeat. Lightning coiled around the stone, attempting to share her body heat with the egg, but minutes passed by with no result.

Fang sighed. "I don't think it's working."

Fang lowered her hands, and Lightning dropped to the ground, her body dissolving again, before her human form materialized back into shape.

Lightning leaned against the wall, her breath shallow.

"You alright?" Fang's brow creased with worry. "Didn't think a little one would take much..."

Lightning attempted to sit up, her eyes half lidded. "It's been a while; I'm just a little winded." She steadied herself, and stood up. "I think I know just who to ask about this..."

Fang grinned, placing the egg back in her jacket. "Time to visit pops?"

Lightning gave her the tiniest of smiles, turning to walk back down the aisle. "How do you smelt minerals, Fang?"

"Heat."

"And how do you hatch an egg?"

Fang chuckled under her breath, running her fingers over the stone in her pocket. "Let's just hope the forge can handle it."


	3. Chapter 3

A deep, orange glow cast about the shop, flickering in the low light. A man moved to open the blinds, and sunlight streamed over the workshop.

Sazh Katzroy, widely known as the best smith in all of Bodhum, walked to stand beside his forge, and began shoveling fresh coals into the heat.

Sazh glanced up at the sound of bells, his brow creasing upon sight of the visitors. He leaned his shovel against a wall, and crossed his arms.

"Been a while, pops!" Fang walked over to the forge, a casual smile on her face, before she paused in her tracks. "I believe I owe you something." She pulled a small, leather-bound case from her jacket, and handed it to Sazh.

Sazh opened it, inspecting the contents; a wide array of square, translucent chips lay tucked away within. Sazh smiled, and walked to stand behind the front counter.

"Just a _couple_ years too late..." Sazh began to deposit the chips within the till. "But you've provided interest... That's nice, at least."

Fang grinned, and turned to face the second visitor, Lightning. "Second warmest welcome I've gotten today!"

Lightning rolled her eyes, a slight blush creeping over her face, but it was mostly hidden by the heat of the forge.

Sazh cleared his throat, heaving a wooden crate atop the counter. "Already done with your settings, Light."

"That was fast..." Lightning held one of the pieces between her fingers, inspecting the detail.

Sazh sighed. "Haven't had much work coming in, lately."

Fang reached into her jacket, retrieving the stone chunk. "We might be able to help with that..."

Sazh squinted at the stone, before his eyes widened. "Have you been paying any attention to the news?"

Fang raised a single eyebrow, and shook her head.

"I'm out of the game, Fang." Sazh held up his hands. "Everything in this shop?" He gestured at the room, various pieces of metalwork hung from the walls. "Clean. No more dabbling in the underground for me."

"Seriously?" Fang narrowed her eyes. "You're the best damn fence I've ever met! Why the heck would you quit?" She gestured at the till. "I hope you realize where _those_ came from."

"Chips... Can't be traced so easily, Fang." Sazh said, "But your little rock is missing 'person' of the week over in Eden."

Fang grinned. "Have they released anything to identify me?"

Sazh sighed, and shook his head.

"That's because there's nothing _to_ release." Fang held out the stone again. "It's fine, Sazh."

Sazh took the stone in his hands, flipping it over to examine it. "Lightning's a lapidary... Why bring a gemstone to a _smith_?"

Lightning looked up, placing the setting back within the crate. "It's an egg of Lindzei-" She looked at the stone, her eyes narrowing when she couldn't make out the heartbeat. "Hold it up?"

Sazh did as she asked, and Lightning frowned; the pulsing light was gone. Fang looked over as well, frowning at the sight.

Sazh looked between them. "Am I missing something, here?"

"Back in the library..." Lightning shook her head. "It had a heartbeat; Lindzei's eggs are literal."

"Library?" Sazh asked, "Did you think to check a book on gemstones before coming to me?"

Lightning gave him a half-glare. "I've already read everything Serah has on minerals. There's next to nothing on _these_." She held out her hand, and Sazh gave her the stone.

Lightning startled, and Fang looked over to see the tiny light, beating away within.

"It _does_ react to you!" Fang grinned, running a finger over the stone.

Lightning handed the rock back to Fang, and after a moment, the light faded.

"So..." Sazh paused, glancing between them. "Just what do you need me to do with it?"

Fang grinned, and gestured at the forge. "The stories say that you need one of Lindzei's eggs to find physical entrances to the void." A grin spread across Fang's face when Sazh's eyes widened.

"You're really going after it?" Sazh exhaled, and shook his head. "The Picaroon's a fool's errand, Fang."

Fang's grin never left her face. "We've found a deep patch of void, and it matches the story. It's shaped just like a serpent, Sazh!"

Sazh averted his gaze. "Could very well be coincidence."

Lightning spoke up, taking the stone back from Fang. "Sazh. If this pans out..."

Sazh sighed, crossing his arms, and the room was silent for a long moment.

Fang attempted to pout, but Lightning gave her a half-glare from the corner of her eye.

Sazh finally spoke, his voice low. "Alright."

Fang clapped him on the shoulder. "Good man! So you'll be coming along to help us, and of course you'll get a cut as well..."

"Whoa!" Sazh held his hands up. "One step at a time, missy! I'm willing to help you figure out your rock, but I said I was out of the game, and I mean it."

"Sazh." Fang looked him in the eye. "You can always skip a few turns..." Her mouth twitched, forming a smirk. "But you never _really_ leave the game." She walked over to the forge, and gestured for Lightning to follow.

Lightning looked down at the stone, the heartbeat steady beneath her fingers. As she took a step forward the pulse quickened, and it almost seemed to tug in the direction of the heat. Lightning placed the stone beside the embers, careful not to burn her fingers.

Sazh tilted his head to the side. "So that's all it needs?"

Lightning shrugged as she pulled her hand away, and the pulse continued at a steady pace.

Fang poked Sazh's shoulder. "So what's all this about giving up?"

Sazh frowned. "It's not 'giving up', it's taking responsibility for the future."

"And what future is that?" Fang moved to sit on one of the benches beside the forge. "Sounds awful boring."

Sazh narrowed his eyes, and tilted his head towards the back room. "Dajh, come meet some old friends of mine!"

Lightning bit back a laugh, her gaze locked on the embers. Fang tilted her head, but Lightning was silent.

"What was that?" A young man walked out into the workshop. He looked to be in his teens, his appearance remarkably similar to Sazh's, down to the very features of his face. He glanced at each of the visitors. "Hey, Lightning."

Lightning gave him a non-committal nod, her eyes on the forge.

Sazh smiled, before turning to face Fang. "This is my son, Dajh. Dajh, this is an old friend of mine; watch your pockets around her."

Fang scowled at Sazh, before standing to shake Dajh's hand.

Dajh smiled at her. "It's nice to meet you, ma'am."

Fang barked out a laugh. "Ma'am?" She grinned at Dajh. " Captain, or just Fang will do." Fang turned to Sazh, her brow raised. "You never told me you had a son..."

Dajh spoke up before Sazh could explain. "Mom raised me, but before she passed, she told me to go look for my father." He turned to smile at Sazh. "Dad didn't even know that I'd been born, but he gave me an apprenticeship."

Sazh smiled back. "And now we run the shop together, with no time for wild goose chases."

Fang narrowed her eyes, a smirk still on her face. "But what if the goose is golden?"

Lightning tuned out from their bickering, her gaze hovering on the egg. She raised her hands to the forge, her skin energized from the heat. It almost seemed to radiate through her body, and Lightning swore that she felt... Alive, beneath the warmth. She looked down at the stone, her eyes widening when a chunk of the outer layer fell into the embers, a smooth surface beneath.

Lightning opened her mouth, her voice a near whisper. "Fang, look at this."

Fang glanced up from her conversation with Sazh, and walked over to the forge. "That's somethin' new..." She leaned over to examine the stone. "It actually looks like an egg, under there."

Another layer peeled away, revealing a glossy black surface beneath. Lightning raised her hand, and while careful to avoid burning herself, lowered her fingers beside the egg. A tiny red eye appeared beneath the surface, and Lightning inhaled, her breath sharp. The eye stared back at her for a moment, before moving away into the depths of the egg.

Fang grinned, and squeezed Lightning's shoulder. "I'll bet he likes you."

"It looked just like..." Lightning's gaze suddenly resided somewhere far away, and Fang had to wave to bring her back. Lightning shook her head, before speaking again. "Did I ever tell you just how-" She looked over at Sazh, Dajh standing beside him.

Sazh shrugged. "You can say it if you want, nothing to gain by keeping it under wraps."

Dajh looked up at his father, confusion across on his face.

Lightning sat down on one of the benches, crossing her arms. "It happened back when I was very young."

* * *

A lamp hung over the tiny room, suspended by a thin wire. The light swayed in time with the ship, air-currents rocking the craft gently back and forth.

A young woman paced the room, her brow creased. Two other women occupied the room, along with a man.

"Claire, I'm starting to think it's _you_ who's rocking the ship." An older woman smiled at her from a bunk, while braiding the hair of a young girl sitting below her.

"It's just cramped in here." Claire sighed, and stopped by the door. "Is it alright if I walk around outside?"

The man looked up from his writing, a pen between his fingers. "Just don't get in anyone's way, and be back within the hour."

"I want to go, too!" The youngest tried to stand up, but her mother sat her back down, running a brush through the upbraided half of her hair.

Her mother chuckled, hugging her squirming daughter in place. "Serah, you aren't going out with half a braid. Next time, alright?"

Serah scowled, but she held still. She glanced up at the door, but Claire was already gone.

–

The airship bustled with activity, workers milling about the deck alongside curious passengers. Claire wove through the crowd, before climbing to the adjacent deck, elevated above the first. She looked out over the surface, walking over to grasp the railing with her hands, and leaned out over the side of the craft. The ether churned around the ship, a mass of clouds and energy spanning out for as far as Claire could see.

Claire stood in silence, completely alone on the upper deck. She tuned out the noise of the ship, focusing on sound of rushing, swirling air, her pink locks streaming behind her in the wind. Claire almost didn't notice when something lightly nudged at her finger, and she nearly startled when something warm coiled around the digit. She raised her hand, staring at the tiny creature wrapped around her finger.

Claire relaxed when the serpent looked over at her, flicking its tongue out at her nose. She gave a quiet laugh, lowering her arm, turning her palm over so that the serpent could spread out over her hand. The tiny creature seemed to gleam beside the ether, its white scales reflecting the energy from the air. Claire squinted, noticing a pair of tiny golden horns that crowned atop the serpents head, trailing down into green and gold ridges that ran across its body.

Claire froze, before looking out at the sky. She couldn't quite describe the oncoming sensation, but it was as if time itself had slowed, and she had been taken somewhere far away. The turbines beneath her fell silent, as if the ship had frozen in place. She glanced around, but nothing other than the sound was out of the ordinary. Claire could still feel the wind against her face, even if she could no longer hear it. She reached up to touch her ears, but Claire startled upon finding that her hand was empty. She stared at her fingers, and after a long moment, the distant hum of turbines returned, and Claire could once again hear the rush of wind, the air sharp against her skin.

–

Serah hopped up from the bunk, her hair tied back in twin braids. "_Now_ can I go?"

Her mother smirked, removing stray hairs from the brush. "Not without Claire; you're too young to run off alone."

Serah pouted, clenching her fists. "But why does _she_ get to go alone?"

Her father looked up from his papers, and pulled Serah onto his lap. "Because Claire is old enough to keep out of trouble."

Serah frowned, but leaned forward to hug her father. She pulled back after a moment, frowning when he stared off into the distance. "Dad?"

Serah turned around, and saw Claire standing in the doorway, her skin pale and trembling.

* * *

Lightning exhaled, and nearly shivered at the memory. "I adjusted to the cold, eventually, but the first few months were tough."

Dajh frowned, his brow furrowed in thought. "So the snake was just... Gone?"

Lightning looked over at him. "Wrym." She exhaled, closing her eyes. "And no, it wasn't 'gone'."

Fang grinned, poking at Lightning's shoulder blades. "Let's just say that Auntie Lightning's a bit snaky, herself."

Lightning opened her eyes, before narrowing them. "_Wyrm_."

Fang chuckled. "Wyrmy?"

Lightning rolled her eyes, and stood up to face the forge again.

Fang was about to follow her, when a rapid beeping escaped from her jacket. She pulled out a translucent sheet, unfurling it to look at the display.

A voice crackled out from the screen, muffled by static. "Fang, are you there?"

"Yeah, Van." Fang placed her finger on the sheet, tuning the device. "What's up?"

"Oh, nothing..." Vanille trailed off, and another voice cried out, before something slammed into something else. "We've just got some visitors, and impolite ones at that..."

Fang narrowed her eyes. "Eden?"

Vanille gave a wry laugh. "Heck if I know. Bhakti's keeping most of them away, but Hope's freaking out over here." Vanille paused to speak with the other voice for a moment, before returning to Fang. "You might want to come lend a hand. Hope's bitching about how he had to knock a guy out."

Fang laughed under her breath, and stood up from the bench. "Light, you catch all that?"

Lightning nodded, turning to call back to Sazh as she walked through the door with Fang. "I'll be back for the settings in a bit; will you keep the egg safe for us?"

"Yeah; have fun." Sazh shook his head, an amused grin on his face. "Dajh, your dad meets some odd people..."

* * *

A/N: Looked back over the first couple chapters, fixed a bunch of typos, tweaked some dialogue. It's amazing how many errors can slip by, even after you've thoroughly checked something.


	4. Chapter 4

Claire curled up under the covers, her breath ragged as she struggled to keep warm. She'd barely made it back to their cabin without collapsing, promptly dragging herself into bed, while refusing to say a word about her predicament.

Serah sat beside the bunk, rummaging through her father's collection of books. Their parents had retreated to their separate room to discuss how to approach their newly uncooperative daughter, but Serah had remained behind. She pulled out a weighty tome, nearly falling backwards when she stood up with it.

"Sis?"

Claire grunted, her eyes squeezed shut.

Serah frowned, and lifted the book on top of the mattress. "Read to me?"

Claire opened a single eye, examining the book. "That one's too complicated for you."

Serah shook her head. "'Bridge it."

Claire sighed. "_Abridge. _I'll help you read it later; I'm not feeling so good." Her body shivered violently, and Claire closed her eyes again.

Serah climbed up on the bed, pulling the book upon her lap. "Are you sick?"

"I don't know." Claire tugged the covers tighter around her body, her limbs stiff and unresponsive. "I don't want to talk about it."

Serah lowered her voice to a whisper. "Is it a secret?" She grinned, glancing at the door behind her. "I won't tell, I promise!"

Claire opened her eyes, catching Serah's gaze. "Swear it."

Serah crossed her heart, and nodded.

Claire sighed. "There was an animal on the railing; I held it for a moment." She paused, thinking back. "It must have bit me, or something..." Claire raised her hands above the covers, inspecting her trembling fingers. "I'm just not sure where."

"What kind was it?" Serah frowned, holding up the book as a shield against her chest. "A spider?"

Claire shook her head. "A snake, but it had little horns and ridges."

Serah froze, before hopping down from the bunk, retrieving another book. She carried it back up with her, and leafed through the pages. Serah paused, holding the book up to a specific page. Claire squinted to see the illustration, before her eyes widened.

A great serpent coiled around an airship, its massive tail disappearing into the clouds. Its head was crowned by an ornate set of horns, colorful ridges streaming down its body. The serpent bore a pair of gigantic teeth, and a group of terrified sailors clamored to escape from it.

Serah looked down at the page, spelling out the word beneath the image. "Wyrm."

Claire shook her head, turning her gaze away from the picture. "The one I saw was tiny, about the length of my finger."

Serah closed the book, laying it beside the first. "Maybe it was a baby?"

Claire rolled over on her stomach, and closed her eyes.

Serah frowned, shuffling over to poke at Lightning's back. "There's something under your shirt."

* * *

Lightning shook her head, yanking her mind back to the present. Her shoulder blades twitched, adrenaline creeping through her body as she slid through the crowd, her gaze on the pier. Fang moved ahead of her, but Lightning held back, keeping watch of the area.

Lightning opened her mouth, testing the air. She could sense the heat of the crowd, and taste each individual scent.

Lightning tensed, her gaze settling on a group of people milling beside an airship.

* * *

Vanille swiveled her chair around, before scowling at the unconscious body below her. "Wanna clean up your mess?"

Hope latched the door shut, before turning around open mouthed, gawking at Vanille. "I just saved your life! He was about to attack you!"

Vanille tapped a finger to her chin, examining the body. "He was? How do you know?"

Hope sputtered, waving his hands at the ground. "He was running at you! Look..." Hope knelt down, retrieving a pointed device from the man's hand, raising it to show Vanille.

Vanille narrowed her eyes at it. "His stance must have been lousy; I didn't even notice him."

Hope began to speak, but he startled when a fist pounded on the door.

A gruff voice boomed from beyond the metal. "We know you're in there! Open-"

A mechanical voice crackled to life. "You have been requested multiple times to leave the premises. You have not done so; you will be removed."

Vanille smiled, turning back to her desk. "Thanks, Bhakti."

Bhakti whirred, and a humming sound charged up from beyond the door. "Will you need anything else, Ms. Dia?"

The man from beyond the door yelped, and a series of footsteps clattered away down the hall.

Vanille nodded. "If you could keep an eye out for Fang, I'd appreciate it." She pressed her fingers against the translucent screen upon her desk. "She should be back sometime soon."

Bhakti whirred, and clicked twice. "Request registered."

Vanille smiled. "Thanks again."

"You are quite welcome, Ms. Dia."

Hope exhaled, and grimaced at the floor.

* * *

Fang slid into the crowd, weaving through the bustling pier. She glanced back; Lightning was close, watching her back. Fang smiled to herself. After storing away a mental note to show her appreciation later on, Fang sat down on a bench, her eyes flicking over to gaze at the nearest ship.

A group of armored individuals stood beside the gangplank, arguing amongst themselves. Fang growled under her breath when one of them attempted to board her ship, but he was forced back by a wall of energy. Fang clenched her fists, before reaching up to tug at her jacket, extending a hidden cowl to cover her head. Fang reached inside the hood, drawing out a silken cloth to wrap over her mouth and nose. She looked out over the crowd, spotting a familiar face, and Fang winked.

Fang stood up from the bench, sauntering out from the crowd to walk beside her airship. She paused beside the gangplank, attracting the attention of the group. Fang waved at them, smiling beneath her scarf. One of them raised his weapon, and Fang whistled. She grinned as Lightning leapt above her, casting her shadow on the pier. From head to tail, her serpent form was currently the length of a small building, giving her no trouble in tackling the man to the ground.

Fang darted forward, her boots thudding against the wooden planks, before she leapt up, bringing a knife down between the armor plates of her nearest target, stabbing him in the arm. Fang reached for her waist, throwing herself to the side to avoid a burst of energy. The group reacted with haste, raising their weapons at both Fang, and the serpentine creature lashing out between them.

Fang readied the pistol that Lightning had given her, fumbling with the device. She tried to remember exactly how to use it, before squeezing the grip. The resulting shock wave threw Fang backwards, and she teetered upon the edge of the pier, watching helplessly as the soldiers were blown back with her, toppling into the abyss below. Fang fell back, her fingers grasping at air.

Fang struggled to orient herself, and she glanced upwards, the island growing smaller and smaller in the distance. She grunted as her body passed through Bodhum's artificial gravity barrier, but Fang continued to fall, albeit in a different direction.

Fang twisted around, and her eyes widened.

Lightning writhed as she fell alongside Fang, before arcing her spine, electricity gathering in her mouth. Her scales began to gleam with the addition of energy, and Lightning surged forward, tumbling sideways to brush against Fang.

Fang inhaled the scent of ozone, and grabbed hold of Lightning's horns, her grip tightening as Lightning tilted them upwards, and shot into the sky.

Fang let out a breathy laugh as Lightning passed back through the barrier, streaming through the air toward Fang's airship.

They fell atop the deck in a heap, and Fang struggled to catch her breath, releasing Lightning's horns to fall on the metal floor. Lightning panted as well, her mouth open as she rested on her side.

Fang pulled back her hood, tucking it and the scarf back inside her jacket. "Forgot just how much of a kick those pack..." She chuckled, her voice a bit hoarse.

If a wyrm could glare, Lightning was shooting daggers at Fang. She let out a hiss, and raised herself upright, baring her teeth.

Fang raised an eyebrow, still laying flat on her back. "What? You gonna _bite_ me?" She narrowed her eyes in a smirk.

Lightning hesitated, before lashing out to shove Fang's side with her snout, drawing back to hiss at her once more.

Fang grunted, and sat upright. "Alright, alright." She poked at Lightning's nose, chuckling when she received yet another hiss. "Change back, and I'll make it up to you."

Lightning paused, folding her teeth back as her mouth closed. The serpent dematerialized, and soon a human form stumbled atop the deck.

Lightning sat down, her vision spinning, eyes narrowed at Fang. "You are _very_ lucky that I was there..."

Fang grinned, tilting her head. "Ah... I could have figured something out."

Lightning scoffed as she attempted to see straight, her head pounding. "You would have drifted through the ether for days; death by starvation, or falling into an energy field, whichever came first!"

Fang leaned forward, her eyes half lidded. "But I didn't."

"Because I was-" Lightning's words were muffled against Fang's mouth, and she let out a gasp upon being pressed against the metal floor.

Lightning's head spun, her body already disoriented from the previous shift, tiptoeing to the point of delirium when Fang ran her fingers across heated skin. Lightning returned the kiss, her eyes drifting back beneath her eyelids.

"Ms. Yun?"

Fang pulled back, gasping for air. "Bhakti... Not now!"

"Ms. Dia requested that upon locating you-"

Fang groaned, her pitch near a whine. "Bhakti, _please!_"

"Ms. Yun, I must point out that while your current location is elevated, you are still quite visible to the public eye."

Fang growled at Bhakti, before gazing down at Lightning, reaching to tuck back a lock of hair behind her ear.

Lightning looked up at Fang, her face flushed as she averted her gaze. "We _are_ out in the open..."

Fang nodded, sighing as she moved over from atop Lightning, sitting down on the deck beside her. Lightning wobbled to her knees, and Fang reached out to steady her.

Lightning glanced around the deck, her vision still spinning. "Did you at least grab hold of the pistol, after..?"

Fang frowned, and Lightning sighed.

"Don't you remember how _expensive_ those are?" Lightning exhaled, clutching at her head, wincing in pain.

Bhakti's voice crackled, echoing over the deck. "Ms. Yun, Ms. Dia requests that you..." Bhakti paused, his voice humming as he attempted to process the words. "_'Get the heck down here and drag this freaking body out from my study._'"

Fang chuckled under her breath, and stood up from the floor. She offered an arm to Lightning, who accepted it, her knees still shaking.

"Hasn't always effected you this much, has it?" Fang asked, "I mean, the _big_ ones did, but that last one wasn't really..." She trailed off, unsure of what to say.

Lightning shook her head as they walked arm in arm. "It's always been tough on my system to reconstitute, and I haven't needed it much recently." She exhaled, catching Fang's gaze. "It's probably like relearning a skill, though; don't worry about it."

Fang nodded, and pushed open a door to the hold, helping Lightning down the steps. They walked in silence through the corridors, and Lightning's gaze flickered around the walls.

"Almost forgot how it looks in here..." Lightning paused when they passed through an archway, and stood within an expansive room.

A robotic whirr crackled at them, and a pair of mechanical eyes peeked out from a control panel attached to the wall. "Ms. Yun. Welcome back." Bhakti hummed for a moment. "I am unable to identify your guest."

Fang sighed. "You don't remember Lightning?"

"My apologies, Ms. Yun."

"It's alright." Fang helped Lightning into a chair beside the control panel. "Bhakti's memory was damaged about a year ago; we ran through a nasty energy patch, fried his servers."

"I still retain all basic functions, however." Bhakti whirred, clicking in sequence. "And not all was lost. I seem to have a certain file..." He hummed, processing the information. "Ms. Farron? The associated image is that of a serpentine creature, however..."

Fang chuckled. "Light's pretty flexible."

Lightning scowled halfheartedly at Fang, before rising to stand after a moment. "I can walk on my own, now."

Bhakti spoke again, his eyes tunneling back within the machinery. "Mr. Estheim is requesting your presence immediately, Ms. Yun."

Fang chuckled under her breath, and lead the way down another corridor, Lightning beside her.

Fang sighed. "Poor kid; he still hasn't gotten used to it." She shrugged, raising her hands. "I _told_ him about the bounty on our heads, but he must have thought I was joking."

Lightning bit back a laugh. "What's the current total?"

Fang laughed, a dark smirk on her face. "Last time I checked, somewhere in the billions."

Lightning raised an eyebrow. "And you really think that the Picaroon's the better option?"

Fang rolled her eyes. "You know it's not about the money, Light."

Lightning looked back at the corridor, spotting a metal door at the end of the hall. "Paying the bills is nice, though."

"That it is, but the Picaroon..." Fang paused, her brow creasing in thought. "It's the kind of thing that goes down in history." She approached the door, reaching for the handle "I mean, it disappeared centuries ago, but it's _still_ the ultimate prize."

Fang pulled at the door, but it remained shut. She knocked on the metal, calling out to Vanille.

A muffled voice answered from behind the door. "How can I be sure it's really you?"

Fang growled. "Bhakti, a little help?"

The door unlatched, and Fang strode through the door. Vanille leapt up to tackle her in a hug, while Hope stood back, a broom clutched in his hands.

Lightning entered as well, her eyes flicking to gaze at the unconscious body on the floor.

"Visitors, eh?" Fang knelt down, touching the man's neck. "Still kicking..." She pulled him up by his collar, and lay him on his back, searching his pockets. Fang pulled out a slip of paper, and unfolded it.

Vanille leaned over to look. "Just another bounty hunter." She sighed, and returned to her chair.

Fang exhaled. "Be glad it's not Eden, although I doubt they'd be able to find us this fast."

Lightning cleared her throat. "Fang, I'd like to get back to Sazh as soon as possible. Even if Eden hasn't been tracking you, the egg..."

Fang nodded, standing up. She hoisted the man over her shoulder, and made for the door. "Vanille, Hope, I'll get you two caught up on the details later, but I think we're getting close to figuring this out." Fang looked up at the ceiling. "Bhakti?"

Bhakti hummed. "Yes, Ms. Yun?"

Fang smiled, and walked through the door. "Check out the turbines, perform full maintenance on the engines as well, please. We need to be ready to depart as soon as possible."

Bhakti whirred, and clicked twice. "Acknowledged. Will that be all, Ms. Yun?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Have a pleasant day, Ms. Yun. To Ms. Farron, as well."

Lightning's lips curled in a tiny smile. "Thank you Bhakti; it's good to see you again."

Bhakti hummed. "I wish I could say the same, Ms Farron. My only recollection is that of a flying serpent, and your name."

Fang grinned. "You'll just have to catch up on the way, then."

They walked through the corridors, exiting through a hatch on the side of the ship. The exit lead to a narrow deck that ran the length of the airship, reaching all the way back around the stern, and over again to the opposite side of the ship.

Fang lead the way up to the main deck, climbing a series of ladders to reach it. When they stood upon the deck, Fang closed her eyes, inhaling the air around them.

Fang opened her eyes after a moment. "Storm's coming. We'd better wait it out before taking off."

Lightning nodded, the scent of rain on her tongue.

Fang lead the way down the gangplank, Lightning beside her.

* * *

Sazh sat on a bench, polishing a sheet of metal. Dajh stood by the forge, watching the embers.

"It's not gonna hatch if you keep staring at it;" Sazh said, "poor little guy's probably too shy to come out."

Dajh shook his head. "It's moving around in there."

Sazh stood up, placing the sheet beside the bench. He walked over to the forge, and squinted at the embers.

A pair of red eyes stared back at him, a tiny snout pressing against the surface of the egg. After a moment, the shell splintered, and the serpent pushed its nose up to the cracks, nudging at the surface.

Sazh gave a soft whistle, his lips curving in a smile.

Dajh's eyes widened at the sight. "Should we help him?"

Sazh shook his head. "Not something to be tampered with; little buddy should hatch on his own time."

Dajh nodded, his gaze still on the egg.

* * *

Lightning paused in her tracks, looking out over the city. Fang stopped as well; they stood beneath a covered street, the left side built against a wall, the right bordering a sheer drop, down to the harbor. Lightning leaned against the railing, her gaze on the gathering clouds, churning in the distance.

"At least we'll have water." Lightning sighed, closing her eyes. "It hasn't rained in ages."

Fang looked out over the docks, spotting a figure in the distance. "Look, our visitor woke up."

Lightning followed her gaze, a tiny smile playing on her face when a man waddled into a side street, his legs and arms bound by a loose stretch of rope.

"He should just be glad I didn't throw him into the ether with his buddies." Fang moved away from the railing, gesturing for Lightning to follow.

Lighting was silent for a moment, still leaning over the edge. "Do you think I should have caught them, too?"

Fang frowned, and and moved to squeeze Lightning's shoulder. "They would have started shooting again as soon as we landed. Bounty hunters have their eyes on the money, saving them would have just given them a second chance to get it."

Lightning sighed, and let go of the rails, following Fang down the street. As they navigated the winding pathway, Lightning's mind wandered, her thoughts in the clouds.

* * *

Serah lifted the book again, poking at Claire's shoulder. "_Please?_"

Claire let out a shuddering breath, but rolled over on her back. "Just a couple pages, and then you'll leave me alone?"

Serah nodded, settling beside her on the bunk.

Claire opened the book, and cleared her throat. She scanned the page, before repeating the words in simpler phrases. "Back before recorded time, there was a great island; it was a giant globe of land, and everyone lived there."

Serah's eyes widened. "_Everyone?_"

Claire nodded. "Everyone. There were airships, but people didn't rely on them very much. One day, the ground started to shake, but the people didn't know why. Their island was breaking apart, and they fled into their airships, flying away from the crumbling ground."

Serah tugged at Claire's sleeve. "What happened to the island?"

Claire turned the page, reading the text before answering. "All of the land floated away, before the fiery inside of the great island finally calmed down, providing warmth, and gravity. Clouds of energy escaped from the core, and soon much of the sky was filled with them." Claire paused, squinting at the text. "But how did the islands keep floating? It doesn't say much about them... Anyway, the people wanted a new name for the sky, because it was their home, now; they called it the ether. The people lived in the airships, until the chunks of their island settled, and they were able to colonize them."

Serah tilted her head. "Colonize?"

Claire looked up from the page. "Make homes." She glanced at the text, and frowned. "This next part is too scary for you, I'm going to skip it."

Serah pouted. "I want to hear it, mom and dad _always_ skip the scary parts!"

Claire sighed. "Just don't blame me if you get nightmares..." She paused, before repeating the text. "They started to fight over the land; most of the people died."

Claire looked up, but Serah gestured for her to continue.

"After a long time, a single island put a stop to the fighting, and started to call themselves Eden." Claire turned the page. "Eden was one of the largest islands, and they had many resources. They discovered many new things about the ether, including something that nobody had ever seen before." She paused, her breath sticking to her throat. "The void..."

"What's the void?" Serah asked.

Claire was silent, reading the page. "It's... Many different things? It doesn't say exactly, but there are parts that you can find all around us, and there are parts that only exist in certain places. It's difficult to find, and only a few people have ever-" Claire's breath caught.

"What?" Serah tugged at her sleeve. "What is it?"

Claire didn't speak for a long moment. "When a person tries to enter the most common form of void, noise cannot reach them. If they stay for too long, they disappear... Into the darkness itself."

Serah's brow furrowed in thought. "But what's _in_ the void?"

Claire leafed through the pages. "It doesn't say too much... It's like a different world, but not many people have ever gone in." She leaned back after a moment, closing her eyes. "I want to sleep now, it's cold..."

Serah frowned, and touched her hand to Claire's shoulder. "You _are_ really cold..."

"Can you go get mom?" Claire's voice was muffled by the blankets. "I'll tell her what happened, I just want it to stop..."

Serah hopped down from the bed, racing into the next room.

Claire trembled beneath the sheets, and felt a tingling energy race through her skin, a strange sensation spreading from her upper back. She closed her eyes, and shivered.


	5. Chapter 5

Claire shivered, pulling her shirt up against her neck, her back displayed to the air. Her mother sat behind her, inspecting her shoulder blades.

Claire tried to twist her head around, struggling to see the marking on her back. "What does it look like?"

Her mother sighed. "_Claire.._. When did you get it?"

Claire pulled her shirt down, tilting her head to the side. "I already told you..." She turned around to face her mother. "I didn't even know it was there until Serah saw it."

Her mother exhaled, closing her eyes. "Claire, tattoos don't heal so quickly. Who gave it to you?"

Claire scowled, and turned to bury her head in the pillow. "I _knew_ you wouldn't believe me."

Her mother was silent for a while, and Claire nearly drifted off to sleep.

"The serpent you saw... What did it look like?"

Claire opened her eyes for a moment, her voice muffled against the pillow. "White, with golden horns. Green and gold ridges."

Claire could hear a sharp intake of breath, and her mother stood up from the side of the bed. A moment later, Claire was covered with another blanket, before a pair of footsteps exited the room.

* * *

Lightning walked down the street, her gaze on the cobblestone. "Fang."

Fang stopped, turning to look back at Lightning.

"If the egg does hatch, and if it _is_ a wyrm..." Lightning paused, chewing her bottom lip. "You should be careful around it. I think there's a reason wyrm sightings are rare; wild ones, I mean."

Fang tilted her head to the side. "You think it'll..." A grin played over her lips. "This could turn out even more interesting than I thought..."

Lightning averted her gaze, folding her arms. "This isn't something to take lightly." Her brow twitched, and Lightning frowned. "I'm not even human, Fang... Not really."

Fang walked forward, taking Lightning by the shoulders. "Yes, you are. You've just got a little extra something, that's all."

Lightning gave her a wry smile. "Humans don't shut down in the cold... Humans can't turn into serpents."

Fang smirked. "You're a special kind of human, then." She slung an arm around Lightning's shoulder, guiding her down the street. "Humans can't fly either, and just look who saved my sorry butt back there..."

A warm sensation crept through Lightning's chest, and she smiled to herself. They walked in silence for a while, the streets winding higher and higher, and they passed through the district of commerce, entering the residential quarter.

They were about to pass by a bench, but Lightning stopped in her tracks. Fang looked over at her, her brow raised.

Lightning was silent for a long while. "I want to..." Her gaze flicked down to look at her feet, and she exhaled. "Can I tell you how it first happened?"

Fang grinned, and sat down on the bench. It wasn't often that Lightning opened up to her, and Fang decided to make the most of it.

Lightning sat down as well, folding her fingers together. "It happened a few days after I saw the wyrm."

* * *

Claire took a step out from the cabin, bundled under layers of jackets. A red scarf wrapped around her neck, her eyes watering from the rush of air as she walked out on the deck.

Serah looked up, Claire's hand in hers. "Are you still cold?"

Claire nodded, but she moved further out on the deck. They wove between the crowd, making their way to the upper floor.

The deck was empty again, and Claire led Serah over to where she had seen the serpent.

Claire sighed, resting her hands on the railing. "It was right here..." She looked out over the horizon, the ether churning in a swirl of colors and shapes.

Serah followed her gaze, smiling at the rainbow of clouds. "It's pretty..."

Claire opened her mouth; she could taste the moisture in the air, the intense energy flickering within the atmosphere. Her eyes closed of their own volition, a rushing sensation flowing through her body. She didn't even notice when Serah gasped; Claire was far too enraptured with the feeling of her body crumbling away, her very being replaced by something powerful; something honed, and completely, utterly focused.

Claire leapt from the airship, falling through the clouds, before she found herself streaming through the sky, the wind rushing against her scales.

_Wait, scales?_

Claire looked back, her opening mouth in shock. A serpentine body swam through the air, white scales reflecting the colors of the ether, ridges fluttering in the wind.

Her mind went blank, and for a moment, Claire was falling again, the airship growing smaller and smaller above her. She writhed, fear gripping her body, adrenaline rushing through her veins. Claire tried to cry out, but found that she had no voice.

After a moment of sheer panic, the ether seemed to still around her, and all went silent. Claire inhaled as the sky began to disappear, replaced by an inky shroud, swirling, slithering into place.

A sense of peace overtook her, and Claire relaxed, drifting through the darkness. She exhaled, her breath fluttering past her lips, before her lungs expanded, the air clear and placid.

Something shifted in the distance, but Claire felt no alarm, her gaze tracking the movement. A great eye appeared, the pupil narrow, unblinking. Claire had never seen anything quite so immense, and yet she felt drawn to it, her serpentine form drifting towards the eye, soon only a mere hairsbreadth between them.

Claire passed through the pupil, before the darkness faded, a sudden barrage of sound jolting her senses. Claire coiled, before releasing her muscles, rushing into the ether, the crackling energy swirling around her body. Countless colors streamed past as she flew, swirling through the clouds.

Claire soared, gliding through the air, her scales reflecting the pastel clouds. She spent what felt like hours within the energy field, her body shivering with the additional power collecting beneath her skin. Claire opened her mouth, electricity gathering above her tongue, and her spine bowed, energy coursing through her body. She finally released it, a bolt of lightning arcing out from her mouth, and a peal of thunder echoed through the clouds.

_Lightning._

She watched the split second of immense, utter power, before it faded away into the ether. Her skin tingled, energized, and _alive_.

Lightning. That's what she was, now; _who_ she was.

Lightning hovered for a split second, before she began to fall again, but she focused, channeling energy into her body, pushing her forward.

She spotted the airship, far in the distance. Lightning's gaze locked on the upper deck, and she rushed forward, power coursing through her serpentine body.

* * *

Fang leaned back on the bench, watching the lights of the ether ebb on the horizon. "So you went _inside_ the void..?"

Lightning nodded, her eyes closed. "I'm not sure how, though."

"Have you ever gone back?" Fang asked, "We might not even _need_ the egg, if you can find us an entrance..."

Lightning shook her head. "I tried again after a while, but I couldn't get back in."

Fang frowned a little, but her face brightened just as quickly. "Maybe I can help you try again, sometime." She stood, stretching her legs. "It's gonna be dark soon, we'd better get goin'."

Lightning stood as well, rolling her shoulders. They walked in silence, the ether above dimming as they walked, the road soon shrouded in darkness. Lamp posts flickered to life, casting a soft glow upon the city streets.

From a distance, Bodhum could be mistaken for a cluster of lights, drifting in the darkness. The ether still cast an impressive array of colors, but they paled against the glow of the city.

Fang trudged up the steps to Sazh's workshop, the building perched atop a tiny hill, standing in complete solitude. It was rare to see a house with a front yard, much less occupying an entire field for itself. A testament to Sazh's past 'dabbling' in the underground.

Fang knocked once, before pushing open the door.

"Why bother knocking if you're just gonna..." Sazh sighed, and shook his head. "Welcome back."

Fang grinned. "Good to be back; how's the little guy doin'?"

Lightning drifted over to the forge, her footsteps barely audible.

Sazh gestured at the embers, a small smile on his face. "Take a look."

Dajh sat beside the forge, his gaze fixed on a pile of ash, something burrowing beneath it.

Lightning's eyes widened, and she slowly lowered her hand beside the ashes. A snout peeked out from the dust, a tiny tongue flicking in the direction of her fingers. Lightning couldn't help the smile that crept over her face as a black serpent slid from the ashes, coiling around her index finger. Lightning felt Fang move beside her, and she gently raised her arm, the serpent traveling up her hand. The little wyrm sported a pair of silver horns, curling up from around its mouth to frame its face, before curving back out to the sides. Orange ridges stood out from the black scales, intertwined with red and purple. The serpent opened its mouth, gently nibbling at Lightning's palm.

"Bitey fella, isn't he?" Fang chuckled. "Lemme hold him?"

Lightning hesitated. "Think about what you're asking, Fang."

Fang's lips twitched in a frown. "Maybe he won't..." She leaned over to meet the serpent's gaze. "Hey buddy. You won't try anything with auntie Fang, will ya?"

The wyrm was silent, continuing to nip at Lightning's skin. Fang looked back at Lightning, a pout gathering on her face.

Lightning exhaled. "I'm not saying no, Fang. I'm just asking you to think, first." She held out her arm, the serpent coiled in her hand.

Fang's brow furrowed in thought. After a moment, she held out her arms, and Lightning tipped her palm, the wyrm gently falling into Fang's cupped hands. Fang grinned when the serpent looked up at her, unblinking red eyes meeting her own. The wrym held her gaze for a moment, before leaning over to nibble at her thumb, and Fang laughed.

Sazh walked over, squinting to examine the serpent. "Think he's hungry?"

Lightning shook her head. "Wyrm's don't eat, exactly." She paused, thinking back. "Well, at least I don't, when I'm shifted. I've lasted days without food; all I need is energy from the ether."

Fang chuckled, pulling her thumb out from the wyrms grasp. "Maybe he's teething?"

Lightning shrugged. "I've only seen a wild one once, and it wasn't for long. I don't know."

Fang sat down on one of the benches, the wyrm peeking out from her hand. Dajh sat beside her, leaning over to examine the serpent.

Fang looked up at Sazh, a smirk crossing her lips. "My offer still stands, pops."

Sazh rolled his eyes. "I appreciate it Fang..." He averted his gaze. "But those days are over for me."

Dajh spoke up, his eyes still on the wyrm. "I think we should both go."

Sazh tilted his head to the side. "Dajh..."

Dajh looked up, a smile stretching across his face. "It's the Picaroon, dad! How can you sit this one out?"

Sazh sighed, and crossed his arms. "It's just money, Dajh. We have all that we need here."

Fang chuckled, the sound rumbling from her throat. "It's never _just_ money." She caught Sazh's gaze, her eyes dark, intense. "It's the skill. The _finesse_." Fang stood up, her stance imposing, the light of the forge casting a shadow in front of her. "It's the fact that you stood up and _took_ it, that you _dared_ to take that risk." Her gaze softened, and Fang closed her eyes. "The Sazh that I used to know... He'd take that risk, and he'd come back with the glory of finding _the_ prize; the greatest prize that ever existed."

Sazh stood in silence, the glow of the forge flickering against his face. After a long moment, his arms fell to his sides, and Sazh sighed. "He would, wouldn't he?"

Fang opened her eyes, and grinned.


	6. Chapter 6

Serah bounced on her heels, her eyes wide. "Claire, we have to show mom!"

"Lightning." She knelt on the ground, clutching at her head, her vision spinning.

Serah paused, tilting her head to the side. "Yeah, I saw-"

Lightning shook her head. "That's my name, now." She closed her eyes, goosebumps prickling on her arms. "Let's get back inside, it's freezing out here."

Serah followed Lightning as they walked back to the lower deck, her brow creased in thought. "Do you think anyone else saw it?"

Lightning shrugged, before climbing down the ladder to the lower deck, and passed through the hatch leading within the airship. They walked through the corridors in silence, until the door to their cabin came into view.

"Do you think they'll..." Lightning paused, biting her bottom lip.

Serah looked up at her in confusion. "They'll what?"

"Never mind." Lightning pushed open the door, and entered the room.

Their mother looked up from her book, and smiled. She was about to speak, but Serah ran up to her, chattering a mile a minute.

"Claire- I mean, Lightning turned into a snake, and she flew around out there! It was amazing, and-" Serah quieted when her mother pulled her atop her lap.

Their mother grinned, hugging Serah close. "She did, did she?"

"I'm not joking, mom!" Serah squirmed around to look at Lightning. "Can you do it again?"

Lightning glanced at her feet, before closing her eyes. She focused on the feeling, the sensation of power running beneath her skin. After a moment of concentration, her body dissolved into the same energy, and her mother gasped as a serpent materialized on the floor.

Lightning's memory lurched forward, moving past the hours of questioning and surprise; her parents worried beyond belief that their daughter was now permanently a serpent. Lightning had shown them otherwise, shifting back to her human form without trouble.

It was several days later that they all climbed to the upper deck, and Lightning had shown them her gift of flight.

From head to tail, her serpent form ran the length of a single room, as wide around as a small tree trunk. Serah had begged their parents to let her ride by Lightning's horns, and they'd finally relented, but only on the condition that Lightning stayed no more than a few feet above the deck.

The upper floor was regularly vacant, so Lightning had plenty of time to practice. The following weeks settled into a routine; Lightning spent the mornings and afternoons as usual, and the evenings in her serpent form, chasing after the clouds.

* * *

Lightning pulled her thoughts back to the present, hugging her arms to her chest. Rainwater soaked through her shirt, and Lightning shivered.

Fang walked alongside, her hood pulled over her head. She looked over at Lightning, and frowned. "Want my jacket? You look a bit chilly."

"I'll be alright." Lightning grit her teeth, fighting back the trembles. "It's just a little rain."

Fang's expression remained skeptical, but she was distracted by a rapid beeping sound coming from her pocket.

They moved beneath an awning, sitting down on a bench beside a store. Fang pulled out her communicator, unrolling the sheet on her lap.

A robotic voice crackled to life. "Ms. Yun?"

Fang smiled. "Hey Bhakti."

"There is an individual requesting to be put in contact with you, may I connect him through the current line?"

Fang was silent for a moment. "Does he look shady?"

Bhakti hummed, before answering. "He claims to represent a militia within Bodhum, but he has no form of identification."

Lightning's eyes narrowed.

Fang shrugged. "Let's hear it, then."

A moment later, a human voice spoke up, a slight layer of static mixing with his speech. "Is this the captain of the vessel residing at..." He paused for a moment, before listing off a string of numbers.

Fang frowned. "May I ask who's asking?"

The voice chuckled. "The name's Snow Villiers."

Lightning clenched her fists.

Fang opened her mouth to speak, fighting back a laugh at Lightning's expense. "Yeah, that's my boat. What of it?"

"There was a disturbance reported by the docks, today... Right beside your vessel."

Fang exhaled. "I have no knowledge of it. Will that be all, Villiers?"

"Yeah... But I'd appreciate not having to walk out to the docks, in the middle of a storm, again... Let's hope whoever caused a fuss will stay out of trouble, from now on."

Fang grinned. "But of course..." She ended the call, and turned to look at Lightning. "Bodhum has a militia? When did that happen?"

Lightning sighed. "If you count a ragtag group of kids as a militia..." She hissed under her breath, standing up from the bench. "Serah helped him found it; waste of time and effort. The only reason they haven't been run out of town is because they haven't made a big enough impact." Lightning paused, glaring out at the street. "Bodhum is a free city. It can work out its own problems."

Fang stood as well, and the tiny wyrm peeked out from her hood, having burrowed into her scarf.

"Can't hurt to let the kids play hero for a while." Fang walked out from the awning, Lightning beside her. "They screw up, it's on them."

Lightning grit her teeth. "_Exactly_ why I don't want Serah involved."

Fang nodded. "Well, we could really use her knowledge on board..."

Lightning snorted under her breath. "Not likely. If she's still upset over a years old incident, what chance do you have convincing her to come with us?"

Fang grinned. "I have my methods."

Lightning stopped in her tracks. "This is my sister we're talking about."

Fang's expression sobered. "I know. I'm not planning anything extreme, I promise."

Lightning narrowed her eyes, but continued down the path. They turned a corner, and Lightning's shop soon came into view, water flowing down the cliff side to stream into the road, and into a drain tunnel running beneath the building. Lightning stepped over the tiny river, rummaging for her keys, her fingers numb and stiff. She pushed open the door, and entered the storefront.

Fang walked through the aisles while Lightning locked the door, pausing before an individual display. Fang looked down at the necklace, a fond smile crossing her lips.

Lightning trudged into the store, passing through the archway into the back of the shop. Fang looked up from the glass, and followed after her.

Fang stepped into the living room, but found herself in solitude.

Lightning called out from the second floor. "Can you get a fire started?"

Fang reached over to flip a switch on the wall, a tiny spark flickering to life in the fireplace.

Fang pulled off her boots, before leaning back to shake the rainwater from her hair. The little serpent coiled around her neck, burrowing into the collar of her jacket. Fang gently took the wyrm in her hands, and he coiled against her palm.

"Are you cold, buddy?" Fang frowned, running her index finger over the serpent's head, before her mouth twitched in a grin. "Auntie Lightning gets chilly a lot, too."

Lightning entered the room a moment later, having changed into dry clothes. A blanket wrapped around her body, she curled up on the sofa, her eyes drooping shut.

Fang exhaled, and knelt down to place a fuel rod within the fireplace; wood was a rare commodity, saved in most cases for construction purposes.

Fang lowered her hand, and the wyrm slithered from her fingers, curling up on the stone beside the fireplace.

"You'd better stay there, mister..." Fang narrowed her eyes at the wyrm, chuckling when he tilted his head at her. "I'm serious; there are some very powerful people on the lookout for you."

Lightning mumbled, before moving the blanket away from her mouth. "Think he can understand a word you're saying?"

Fang stood up, turning to face Lightning. "I don't know; it's worth a try, at least." She walked over to the sofa, sitting down as well. "C'mere..."

Lightning hesitated for a moment, before moving atop Fang's lap. She exhaled, shivering when Fang's arms wrapped around her, a warmth spreading within her chest. Fang reached up to run her fingers through Lightning's hair, leaning forward to press a kiss against the back of her head. Lightning relaxed into the embrace, her eyes drifting closed. Fang's hands moved to massage her neck, and Lightning sighed, leaning into the touch. A peal of thunder crashed in the distance, and Lightning opened her eyes.

Even though her home was built into a cliff face, Lightning could sense it; the wild, primal energy that was her namesake. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and Lightning opened her mouth, tasting the air. She felt drawn to it, her muscles tensing in anticipation.

Fang mumbled, her lips still pressed against Lightning's hair. "You're just starting to warm up; don't even think about it..."

Lightning flushed a little, scowling. "I'm not about to; don't worry about me."

Fang chuckled, pulling her closer. "Have you ever flown through a storm, before?"

Lightning tensed, and the only sound was that of the rain pattering outside.

After a moment, Lightning spoke, her voice a near whisper. "Once."

* * *

The airship trembled, the turbines below groaning as they struggled through the storm.

A suspended lamp swung back and forth, and Serah sat on the bunk, covering her ears. Her mother moved to sit as well, and Serah hugged her tight, taking refuge from the turbulence.

Lightning held an arm against the wall, her eyes wide. She looked over at her mother, and for a moment, a mutual expression passed between them, before the ship shuddered again, and Lightning scrambled to keep herself upright.

The door swung open, and Lightning looked over to see her father, and her heart sank. Her father's face was rarely fearful, the only occasions that Lightning could remember being an illness or injury affecting his family.

He stood up straight, clearing his throat. "I spoke with one of the navigators; they've already hailed a nearby vessel, one from Eden."

Lightning looked over at her mother, noticing how her face brightened, and she pulled Serah close.

Her mother stood up, holding Serah against her chest. "Eden's ships are some of the strongest..." She patted Serah's back, making reassuring sounds. "We'll be safe, there."

Lightning followed her father out into the hallway, her mother and Serah close behind them. They navigated the corridors, before exiting into an open room, a crowd of people assembled within. Lightning kept close to her parents, but she couldn't help but overhear the conversations around them.

"They've hailed another ship?"

"An Eden vessel, but it was nearly half an hour ago..."

Someone scoffed, a bitter tone seeping into her words. "If they were going to help, they'd have gotten here by now!"

Another voice rang out, his speech wavering. "What of our emergency options? Are there no more escape vessels?"

The crowd swayed, nervous whispers quickly growing into full-on panic.

Lightning felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see her father steering her out from the crowd. They exited the room, stopping back in the hall, before a rumbling crash rattled against the ship. Serah cried out, still clinging to their mother.

"Claire!"

Lightning thought better of correcting her mother, and turned to listen. The ship was tumbling beneath them, the floor tiling sideways at a rapid rate.

"Claire..." Her mother fought back the tears, and bit her bottom lip. "You've gotten so good at flying..." She choked back a sob, reaching over to caress Lightning's hair, before turning back to Serah. "Serah, you'll listen to your sister, and both of you, stay _together_."

Lightning began to shake her head, but her father reached over to hold her shoulders. "You are strong, and you are smart." He looked Lightning in the eye, his own wide and intense. "You _will_ make it."

Lightning bit her lip, and gave him a slow nod. She closed her eyes, focusing, until her body rematerialized into a serpentine form.

Serah started to protest, but her mother whispered into her ear, until she had finally settled. Lightning watched as her father reached over to stoke Serah's hair, calming her as well.

Their mother hugged Serah close, before lifting her up to Lightning's horns. "Be brave, Serah; hold on as tight as you can!"

Serah could only cry in response, burying her face against the back of Lightning's head.

Their father stumbled to his feet, prying open the door. He held it open, ushering Lightning to pass through.

Lightning slithered into the rain, her parents walking beside her. The deck was tilted at an angle, the turbines below rattling against the ship, metal screeching upon itself.

Lightning looked up at the sky, channeling energy within her body. She looked up at her parents, and her mother smiled, tears streaming beside the rain on her face. Lightning paused upon noticing that her father was crying as well, but he gestured at the sky.

Serah's hands gripped at Lightning's horns, sobbing against her scales. Lightning's muscles tensed, coiling, and she leapt into the air, a rush of energy propelling her forward. She circled once, gazing down at her parents; they waved up at them, holding each other, side by side.

The rattling din of the engines slowed, and Lightning tried to look away when the ship trembled, disappearing into the clouds, but her gaze fixed on her parents, sharing one last embrace.

Serah hugged tight against her neck, and Lightning opened her mouth, a soft sound escaping her throat, reminiscent of a low whistle.

Lightning turned her head away from the ship, propelling herself into the sky, flying far, far away into the ether.

* * *

Fang held Lightning against her chest, an arm hooked beneath her knees as she carried her up the stairs. Fang pushed open the door with her shoulder, lowering her arms to help Lightning into bed.

Lightning exhaled, her breath shaking. "I didn't know how control my size, back then. If I'd just been able to carry them, too-"

Fang pressed a finger against Lightning's lips, drawing the covers up from the foot of the bed. "You didn't know." She held a hand against Lightning's shoulder, gently pressing her back, and pulling a blanket over her. "They'd be proud of you..." Fang smiled, her gaze gentle as she tucked back a lock of Lightning's hair. "Just look at where you brought Serah, and her library..."

Lightning averted her gaze. "They'd be proud of a thief?"

Fang sat down on the bedside. "They'd be proud that their daughter has honor; she doesn't steal from those who can't afford it."

Lightning closed her eyes, and Fang started to stand, but a hand closed around her wrist.

"Stay."

Fang hesitated for a moment, before pulling her jacket off, and crawling over to lay beside Lightning. Fang rested her hands against Lightning's shoulders, massaging the skin. Lightning reached back to pull up her shirt, and Fang traced a finger down from her shoulders. Even in the dim light of the room, Fang could still make out the intricate pattern; a horned serpent coiled between Lightning's shoulder blades, its ten eyes gazing out from her skin.

Fang traced a finger over the design, swirling in line with each curve of muscle. Lightning's eyes drifted shut, and Fang pulled her close, nuzzling against her neck.

* * *

A/N: Damn. Those feels, man. Those feels.


	7. Chapter 7

The rain pattered against the window, and a gentle roll of thunder sounded in the distance.

Fang mumbled as something tugged at her hair, twitching within her braids. She lifted a hand to the side of her head, and her eyes shot open upon feeling something move against her scalp. Fang drew back her arm, narrowing her eyes at the tiny black serpent that began to weave itself between her fingers.

Fang chuckled under her breath. "Hey, buddy... Almost scared me, there."

The wyrm flicked its tongue, curling around her index finger.

Lightning twitched and mumbled under her breath for a moment, stretching out beneath the sheets. Fang looked over at her, smiling softly when Lightning rolled over to press against her.

Fang glanced back at the wyrm, who was in the process of nibbling at her skin. She moved her fingers away, chuckling when the little serpent settled on nipping at her palm.

Lightning roused, muttering against Fang's shirt.

Fang looked down at her and raised a eyebrow. "What's that, love?"

Lightning opened her eyes, blinking away the sleep. Her gaze flickered up to Fang, before moving to stare at the serpent. "How did..?" Lightning yawned, before she continued. "Did he climb up the stairs?"

Fang glanced at the wyrm. "I guess so... Little bugger was crawling around in my hair."

Lightning watched as the serpent began to bob its head, opening its mouth to hiss at her.

Fang frowned, gently swishing her hand. "What's gotten into you?"

The wyrm drew back its head, hissing at Lightning again.

Lightning narrowed her eyes, her mouth opening slightly, before she hissed back at the serpent. She sat up, meeting it at eye level, and the wyrm fell silent, tilting its head to examine Lightning's face.

Lightning quieted as well. "You weren't showing enough tooth." She pointed at her own. "You want to scare someone? Teeth help."

The wyrm tipped its head back after a moment, and opened its mouth, revealing a tiny pair of fangs.

Lightning's eyes widened. "He _does_ understand..."

Fang grinned, moving a fingertip to gently pet the wyrm's head. "Smart little guy, aren't 'cha?"

The serpent closed its mouth, nuzzling against Fang's palm.

Lightning rolled her eyes. "He certainly knows how to kiss ass." She ignored the subsequent hiss, moving to stand up from the bed.

Fang chuckled as she sat up as well, placing the wyrm on her shoulder.

Lightning pulled on a robe before stepping into a pair of slippers. "Are you staying for breakfast? I have commissions I need to fill after-" She paused, cursing under her breath.

Fang tilted her head. "What's wrong?"

Lightning hissed between her teeth. "I left the settings back with Sazh..." She sighed, making her way to the door. "I'll have to make another trip there, today."

Fang stood up, and followed after Lightning. "I _could_ run over there, for you..."

Lightning paused at the stairwell. "You could."

Fang smirked. "Can I have my necklace back?"

Lightning was still for a moment, before she began to walk down the stairs. "For a while, I didn't think you were coming back for it..."

Fang walked down as well, following her through the hall and out into the storefront. Lightning retrieved a key from behind the counter, walking over to unlock the cabinet. After a moment, she turned around to hold up the necklace, her eyes tracking the light that reflected from the gemstone.

Fang smiled. "Some of your best work..."

Lightning's gaze flicked over to look at the wyrm; the little serpent was reaching for the gem, balancing precariously from Fang's shoulder.

Fang laughed as she took the necklace from Lightning, holding it up to the wyrm. "I think he likes it..."

Lightning's lips twitched in a tiny smile. "If he does, he has excellent taste."

Fang tilted her head as she watched the wyrm slither into her hand, curling about the gemstone while flicking its tongue at the chain. "It's because it's shiny, isn't it?" She grinned, gently pulling the necklace away while watching the serpent chase after it. Fang looked up at Lightning. "Is that why you like shiny stuff, too?"

Lightning flushed, quickly turning back to walk through the hallway. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Fang smirked, lowering her voice. "Light..." She sauntered after her, dangling the necklace in her fingers. "Just take another look at this, then."

Lightning scoffed, attempting to avert her gaze from the gemstone as she walked into the kitchen.

Fang leaned back against the wall, a knowing smile on her face. "Now it makes sense..."

Lightning slammed a frying pan against the stove before stalking off to rummage through the icebox.

Fang rolled her eyes. "No need to get all defensive..." She tilted her head. "Is that why you became a thief?"

Lightning sighed, spreading a bit of butter into the pan. "You have it all figured out, don't you?"

Fang reached up, clipping the chain around her neck, before walking over to drape her hands over Lightning's shoulders. "I'm just curious... We don't talk too much about the past."

Lightning opened a small container, sliced meat tucked inside. "I suppose so." She reached to place a few strips upon the pan, the butter already sizzling. "At first, it was just to survive." Lightning poked the strips with a flat, metal utensil, her brow furrowed in thought.

Fang hummed, closing her eyes at the scent wafting up from the stove. "Makes sense, to become a lapidary."

Lightning nodded, before flipping the meat over with the flat of the tool. "It's not like an obsession, or anything... I just like the way they look."

Fang pulled back her sleeve, holding it out in front of Lightning's face. "What about this?" She turned her wrist to reveal a metal armband, a series of navigational equipment inlaid into the surface.

Lightning's eyes flickered to watch the gleam upon the metal, but she tore her gaze back to watch the stove. "If you keep doing that, breakfast is going to burn."

Fang flicked her wrist, the sleeve of her jacket falling back into place. "That would be a shame..." She moved her lips against Lightning's neck, and smirked against her skin.

Lightning huffed, rolling her eyes while she reached up into the cabinet for plates. "Missed me, didn't you?"

Fang chuckled. "Every day." She pressed a warm, lingering kiss against the side of Lightning's neck, nearly causing her to drop the plates.

Lightning sucked in a breath, gripping the porcelain in her fingers. "Fang..."

Fang pulled back, her lips drawn in a grin. "Breakfast, I know."

* * *

Sazh dusted off a wall-mounted control panel, before switching a lever upon it, the garage opening before him. He stood back and whistled at the sight. "Been a while..."

Dajh watched as the garage door opened, his eyes wide. "Does it have a name?"

Sazh chuckled. "_She_... Her name is Brynhildr." He walked into the garage, gazing up at the sleek, red airship. "One of the fastest birds in the sky, back in the day."

Dajh paused. "Speaking of birds..."

Sazh followed his gaze, before frowning at one of the ventilation shafts. "Ah, crud..." He walked over, leaning down to examine the mess of nesting material that littered the metal vents.

A tiny yellow bird looked out at them from a patch of dried grass, and let out a soft peep.

Sazh narrowed his eyes. "You need to scram, buddy." He waved his hands, but the bird only bobbed its head.

Dajh laughed under his breath and knelt down to examine the bird. "That's an odd color, for feathers..."

Sazh nodded. "It probably escaped from a merchant, it's definitely not wild."

"It's just a baby, though..." Dajh frowned, gazing at the bird's wings. "He's barely got any flight feathers."

Sazh sighed, and rolled his eyes. "I can already tell where this is going..."

Dajh grinned as he held out his arms, the bird eagerly hopping into his hands.

Sazh knelt down and began to sweep away the nesting material. "Yes, you can keep him, as long as he doesn't make a mess... And if he _does_, you're cleaning it up."

Dajh smiled, the fuzzy yellow down tickling his fingers. "What should his name be?"

Sazh continued to clean out the air vents. "Fluffball."

Dajh scowled a bit at that, but he smiled after a moment. "Phoenix?"

Sazh shook his head. "It has to be something you're willing to call him a hundred times over." He leaned back, looking down at the bird. "Choco?"

Dajh thought the name over, before nodding. "I wonder where his parents went..."

Sazh looked up at the roof; there were several openings large enough for a bird to fly through. "Probably flew the coop." Sazh paused, only then realizing the pun that he had made, before laughing at it. He looked back over at Dajh. "He's probably hungry; why don't you run back to the house and see if we have anything that he'll eat?"

Dajh grinned, standing up to walk out of the garage, sheltering his hands from the rain beneath his jacket. "How does that sound, buddy?"

Choco puffed out his feathers, chirping away.

* * *

Fang leaned back in her chair, smiling when the little wyrm slithered down to rest on her arm. She raised her hand as the serpent coiled between her fingers, its head bobbing in time with the workbench beside them. Lightning moved the gem back and forth against the grinder, her brow drawn in concentration, before she pulled her hand back. She picked up a tiny device, flipping the switch to shine a beam of light into the stone.

Fang watched as Lightning examined the gem "Who's that one for?"

Lightning narrowed her eyes. "I don't know them, personally." She turned the stone over, and the light entered a certain facet, splitting into several beams that arced around the room.

Fang's eyes widened, and she gazed up at the walls; the beams formed into intricate patterns, swirling designs along whatever surface they touched.

Fang caught a rare smile on Lightning's face, and she smiled back. "That's beautiful."

Lightning looked around at the room; the overcast clouds blocked most of the light from the ether, which allowed the designs to stand out against the walls. She moved the device back and forth, and the pattern changed, swirling upon the ceiling.

Fang leaned back to look, her mouth open slightly. "Are you _sure_ that one has to go..?"

Lightning turned off the light, placing the device back on her workbench. "These take _months_ to make; I'm don't think the commissioner would be very happy..."

Fang sighed as she looked back down from the ceiling. "Maybe you can make another?"

Lightning rolled her eyes, taking a bit of cloth from the workbench before dabbing it into a bitter smelling liquid. "When we get back, sure." She began to polish the gem, wrinkling her nose at the scent. "_If_ you're willing to help out with it."

Fang raised an eyebrow. "I know next to nothing about minerals..."

Lightning shook her head. "I meant with the design."

Fang looked over at the stone. "Did you make that part, too?"

Lightning paused, narrowing her eyes at Fang. "Of _course;_ did you think that was natural?"

Fang laughed under her breath. "Again, I know nothing about gems."

Lightning went back to polishing the stone. "Apparently not..." She looked over at the wyrm. "It's a good thing you didn't try to hatch him yourself."

The little serpent tilted its head, unblinking red eyes trained on Lightning.

"You said that you'd pick up those settings, right?" Lightning set down the gem, along with the cloth. "Do you think you can-" Lightning paused, a slight pain twinging within her index finger. She raised her hand, and her eyes widened.

The wyrm locked its gaze with Lightning's, burning, wild eyes stared back at her. A pair of tiny teeth sunk into her skin, and she narrowed her eyes at the serpent. Lightning tried to look up at Fang, but found that her chair was gone. She tried to take a step back, before looking down, taking sight of the abyss below her with a silent gasp.

Lightning whirled around, finally noticing the vast shroud of darkness where her workshop should be.

A feminine voice broke the silence._ My apologies for the bite, but I assure you that it was necessary._

Lightning looked down at her finger, but the serpent was gone. Something shifted in the darkness, before a pair of titanic red eyes materialized, moving closer with every passing second. A massive black wyrm slithered out from the shadows, rising to tower above Lightning.

Lightning opened her mouth to speak, but found that only a silent breath could escape from her lips.

_There is no sound within the void. Will me your words._

Lightning's brow furrowed in thought. _Can you hear me?_

The wyrm tilted her head. _Yes._

Lightning looked up to examine the wyrm, spotting a familiar set of horns. _You're... The one we hatched?_

_The egg is but a vessel for my physical form, but yes, we have already met... You may call me Bahamut. _Bahamut lowered her head, resting it at eye level with Lightning. _Do you know why wild wyrms are rarely seen?_

Lightning thought for a moment. _You... Merge with humans?_

Lightning swore that Bahamut was smiling. _We cannot enter your world in our full forms, to do so would leave us vulnerable to a permanent death. With a vessel, such as the 'eggs,' we can cheat that very fate... But a juvenile wyrm can barely defend itself, and will take years to grow into a respectable size. _She paused, searching Lightning's expression_. So most choose to skip that step, and bond with a human, such as yourself. They become a wyrm as well, in everything but constant form..._

Lightning kept still for a while, before she nodded.

_Odin is a dear friend of mine... _Bahamut flicked her tongue at Lightning. _He is the one that resides within your soul; you are one and the same, now._

Lightning gave her a wry smirk. _I never knew he had a name..._

Bahamut tilted her head to the side._ Odin never spoke with you?_

Lightning shook her head.

Bahamut's mouth twitched, her body tensing as she coiled within the darkness._ Always so stubborn! What if you'd rejected his form..? _She exhaled, before slowly relaxing._ But that is in the past, now. I've brought you here to strike a deal._

Lightning raised a single eyebrow.

_You do not know how to enter the 'void', as you humans call it, correct?_

Lightning kept the answer to herself, a tiny smile quirking on her lips.

A laugh echoed from Bahamut's thoughts._ Clever one; perhaps that is why Odin chose you. But your friend would not be seeking me out if she'd access to an entrance; I know that you are not yet capable of entering this place on your own..._

Lightning kept her thoughts silent, intent on listening.

Bahamut was quiet for a moment as well. _I wish to see your world... Do you know __why it is that__ you feel so safe here, within the darkness?_

Lightning shook her head.

_This is the origin. All wyrms were created here, from the one that humans call 'Lindzei'. This is her realm, and her will keeps us safe._ Bahamut paused, tipping her head to the side. _But such safety comes with a price; nothing happens within the shroud._ She turned her head to look out into the darkness. _The void is an apt name..._

Lightning waited a moment, before she replied._ I think Fang is already planning to bring you with us._

Bahamut turned back around, a single eye resting to gaze at Lightning. _Within your world, my form is weak. I want you to speak with your friend... Convince her to accept my gift, and I will teach you how to enter the void. _Bahamut paused, and Lightning swore that she was smiling again. _And she can claim the prize she seeks..._

Lightning's eyes widened slightly._ The Picaroon._

Bahamut nodded, turning to face Lightning head on. _You should return, now; she is likely worried._

Lightning began to ask her how to leave, but Bahamut opened her mouth, releasing a gust of air in Lightning's direction. The force pushed her back, and she tumbled through the void.

"Light?! Light, talk to me!"

Lightning opened her eyes, her head throbbing against the floor. Her vision swam, but she could make out Fang's face, frowning down at her.

Fang reached out to touch Lightning cheek, nearly startling upon how warm her skin was. Lightning sat up, shakily, before raising her arm to look at her hand. The wyrm lay coiled upon her palm, gazing up at them.

Fang sighed. "Unpredictable little guy..."

"It's a she." Lightning's voice was low, nearly a whisper. "She... Brought me into the void, somehow."

Fang's eyes widened. "By biting you?" She paused, narrowing her eyes. "You disappeared for a while, yeah..."

Lightning nodded. "Her name is Bahamut; she wanted me to make a deal with you."

Bahamut moved to the edge of Lightning's hand, staring up at Fang.

"She can talk?" Fang narrowed her eyes. "How about just asking _me_ next time, instead of dragging off my friend, here?!"

Bahamut was silent.

"I don't think she can." Lightning tilted her hand. "We didn't really 'talk;' we used some kind of telepathy."

Fang stared at Bahamut for a moment, before she nodded. "Alright, what's the deal?"

Lightning exhaled. "She wants to 'merge' with you; in exchange, she'll teach me how to get into the void."

Fang kept quiet for a while, before a smirk tugged at her lips. "Sounds beneficial for all parties..."

Lightning closed her eyes. "Do you want my opinion?"

Fang ran a hand over Lightning's arm. "Always."

Lightning sighed. "The first few months are rough; when you're in the cold, it's like freezing from the inside out." She opened her eyes after a moment, locking Fang's gaze. "Can you handle that?"

Fang grinned. "I think so..." She looked down at Bahamut. "You teach Light first, and you've got a deal."

Without warning, Bahamut sank her teeth into Lightning's palm, and they were gone.

* * *

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my mom's canary. His official name is Buttercup, but I 'affectionately' call him Butterball._ (Turkey, hah...) _The damn thing sings non-stop, yearlong. Keeps the cockatiel entertained, at least.


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